I am a Reader, Reviewer, Blogger, and all around fan. I plan to post my thoughts on various books, authors and whatever else strikes my fancy on this blog.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

A Santini Christmas by Melissa Schroeder

Blurb:
Join the Santinis as they gather together not for the joy of the season, but in crisis. One major event throws everything they hold dear into jeopardy, causing Joey to travel back to the memories of when she and Papa first fell in love.
Joey Antonio doesn’t have time for men. Her focus is on saving money for art school. She definitely doesn’t need some jarhead Romeo bothering her. True, every time they run into each other she finds herself more attracted to him—not to mention the kisses he steals are becoming addictive. Still, no matter how sexy the Marine is, she isn’t a woman who is willing to risk her heart.
Stewart Santini, known to everyone as Papa, is convinced Joey is the woman for him. Sexy, smart and tough—exactly how he likes his women. He finds himself falling even before he knows what hit him…but there is one problem: Joey is willing to share her bed, but not her life.
Papa knows Joey is surprised when he agrees to a casual affair, but he has other plans to set him motion. This is one Marine who will battle to win the most precious thing in the world to him: Joey Antonio’s heart.

About the Author:
From an early age, Melissa loved to read. First, it was the books her mother read to her including her two favorites, Winnie the Pooh and the Beatrix Potter books. She cut her preteen teeth on Trixie Belden and read and reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school. It wasn’t until she was in college that she tried to write her first stories, which were full of angst and pain, and really not that fun to read or write. After trying several different genres, she found romance in a Linda Howard book.
Since the publication of her first book in 2004, Melissa has had close to fifty romances published. She writes in genres from historical suspense to modern day erotic romance to futuristics and paranormals. Included in those releases is the bestselling Harmless series. In 2011, Melissa branched out into self-publishing with A Little Harmless Submission and the popular military spinoff, Infatuation: A Little Harmless Military Romance. Along the way she has garnered an epic nomination, a multitude of reviewer’s recommended reads, over five Capa nods from TRS, three nominations for AAD Bookies and regularly tops the best seller lists on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Since she spent her childhood as a military brat, Melissa swore never to marry military. But, as we all know, Fate has her way with mortals. She is married to an AF major and is raising her own brats, both human and canine. She spends her days giving in to her addiction to Twitter, counting down the days until her hubby retires, and cursing the military for always sticking them in a location that is filled with bugs big enough to eat her children.
Visit Melissa’s website at http://melissaschroeder.net

My review:
We met Joey Santini as the mother of the Santini boys in each of their stories. We knew she was an exceptional woman, strong with a heart of gold. In A Santini Christmas we learn how she and Papa met and more about how she came to be the woman who could raise Leo, Marco, Gianni and Vincente. Laugh, cry and sigh as Papa fights for his life and the woman he loves.